ForWind concentrates wind energy research in the northwest and connects 30 institutes and working groups of the universities of Oldenburg, Hannover and Bremen. Thus, ForWind forms a nationwide unique research network and covers a broad spectrum of scientific topics. Research focuses on engineering sciences, physics and meteorology, computational science and economics.
ForWind was founded in 2003 with the support of the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (MWK). Wind energy research at the universities of Oldenburg and Hanover has since been combined in ForWind. In 2009, the University of Bremen joined as a new partner, enabling ForWind to significantly widen its research spectrum once again. ForWind is still supported by the MWK.
Within the Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony (EFZN) ForWind covers the EFZN line of wind energy research. The EFZN is a joint scientific centre of the universities of Braunschweig, Clausthal, Göttingen, Hannover and Oldenburg.
Together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES, ForWind forms the Research Alliance Wind Energy.
Through application-oriented projects, ForWind transfers results from basic research to industry. In addition to the scientific support of industrially oriented projects, ForWind offers the first nationwide academic Continuing Studies Programme Wind Energy Technology and Management for professionals in the wind energy industry.